TheJobWalk E.33

Welcome to this week’s edition of TheJobWalk! Copper prices soar to record highs as the U.S. slaps a 50% import tariff, SpaceX unveils plans for a massive 700,000 sqft "Gigabay" at Starbase Texas, and Two Kings Casino bets big with a $1B expansion. HammerTech boosts construction safety with an AI-driven suite, and New York Hospital announces a $750M expansion. Let's dive in!

NEWS
US Sets 50% Tariff on Copper Imports, Prices Hit Record High

President Donald Trump has announced a 50% tax on copper coming into the United States from other countries.

This new tariff is meant to protect American jobs and industries, especially those making military gear, electric cars, and buildings. Right now, the U.S. brings in about 810,000 metric tons of copper each year- half of all it uses. Most of this copper comes from Chile and Canada.

After the announcement, copper prices in the U.S. rose to their highest level ever. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the new tax could start by the end of this month, and that Trump will sign the order soon.

The current copper tariffs are much lower than 50%, so this change is big. Some experts say the new tax could help U.S. copper producers, but also hurt businesses that need copper to make their products.

TheJobWalk’s got eyes on this too...

📰 TopBuild to Acquire Progressive Roofing for $810 Million(WSJ)
📰 Moss Announces New Chief Legal Officer(BusinessWire)
📰 Construction Tunnel Collapses in LA(FoxNews)

PROJECTS
Build of The Week

SpaceX to Construct 700,000 Sqft “Gigabay” Facility at Starbase Texas

SpaceX has filed plans to build a 700,000 sqft “Gigabay” facility at Starbase Texas. The $250 million project supports Starship manufacturing expansion, aiming to produce up to three Starships per day (nearly 1,000 annually). Starship CEO Elon Musk revealed the plan in May 2025 and noted the facility will be the largest at Starbase. Site prep is underway and vertical construction is scheduled to begin soon. Completion is targeted for December 2026.

• Developer: SpaceX

• General Contractor: TBC

• Sector: Aerospace/Manufacturing

• Value: $250 Million

• Location: Starbase, TX

Movement in the field:

🏥$750M Expansion Announced for New York Hospital: Suffolk Construction has begun work on the huge expansion of the White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York. The facility is set to have a 500,000 sqft and 10-story expansion, which will increase its bed capacity from 292 to 436. It has also been said that Suffolk will use a proprietary artificial intelligence-based steel tracking system to construct the project. Construction is set to be complete in 2028.

Key Details: Client: White Plains Hospital, General Contractors: Suffolk Construction, Award: Healthcare, Value: $750 Million, Location: White Plains, New York

🎰Betting on the Future, Two Kings Casino Deal Worth $1 Billion: In 2024, Yates Construction started constructing the permanent casino resort in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. During the construction of this project, it is predicted to create over 2,000 permanent jobs and hundreds of construction jobs. SOSHNY designed the brand new 2 million sq. ft. retreat. It will include a main casino, a 24-story hotel, parking, dining, and entertainment facilities. The first phase is expected to open in early 2026, with the full resort opening in 2027.

Key Details: General Contractor: Yates Construction & Metcon, Inc., Architects: SOSHNY, Award: Mixed-Use, Value: $1 Billion, Location: Kings Mountain, North Carolina, Client: Catawba Indian Nation

🏰Progress Continues on One Beverly Hills Luxury Development: Turner Construction began construction on Phase 1 in early 2024 at the $5 billion One Beverly Hills site, located on 17.5 acres at Wilshire & Santa Monica Boulevards. The full master plan includes two 28-story luxury towers, a 10-story Aman Hotel with 78 suites, a 100,000 sqft Aman Club, luxury retail, and a redesigned Beverly Hilton. Over 2,500 construction jobs are expected, with full project completion scheduled by late 2027.

Key Details: Clients/Developers: Cain International & OKO Group, General Contractor: Turner Construction Company, Design Team: Foster + Partners & Adamson Associates Architects & RIOS, Sector: Mixed-Use/Residential/Hospitality, Value: $5 Billion, Location: Beverly Hills, California

MEET LEWIS MICHAEL CONSULTANTS

Lewis Michael Consultants is a specialist recruitment firm focused solely on the U.S construction industry, operating from East to West Coast. 

Recent placements include General Superintendents, MEP Project Managers, and Electrical Project Managers, working on renowned projects with Google, Samsung & Tesla.

Whether it's a large-scale infrastructure project or a small development, Lewis Michael Consultants has the network to support recruitment needs across the spectrum.

WORLD
The Shard, London

The Shard is the tallest building in the United Kingdom, standing at 310 meters (1,016 feet). Located in Southwark, London, it was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and officially opened in July 2012.

The building has 95 storeys, with 72 usable floors. It includes offices, restaurants, a hotel, apartments, and a public viewing gallery. Its shape is inspired by church spires and ship masts, giving it a sleek, pointed design covered in over 11,000 glass panels.

Construction began in March 2009 and finished in 2012. Builders used a method called top-down construction, where the above-ground structure was built at the same time as the basement. This saved time and kept the project on schedule.

The Shard replaced Southwark Towers and was built on a tight site next to London Bridge station. The foundation work included one of the UK’s largest ever concrete pours, using over 5,500 cubic meters in one session.

Today, The Shard is a modern icon in London’s skyline and a major tourist attraction.

TECH SPOTLIGHT
HammerTech Launches AI Suite to Streamline Construction Safety

HammerTech has launched “HammerTech Intelligence”, a suite of AI capabilities designed to automate and streamline construction safety administration across job sites.

The new tools include AI-driven transcription and analysis of Pre-Task Plan (PTP) meetings, photo recognition for safety observations, and auto-fill for Safety Data Sheets (SDS). These enhancements convert unstructured site data into structured safety insights, reducing manual input and improving reporting accuracy.

HammerTech's platform is currently used on over 20,000 projects, with more than 5 million worker inductions completed to date. The AI capabilities were rolled out in July 25, and are available to users in North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

This release marks the first wave of AI tools integrated directly into HammerTech’s platform, aiming to increase frontline adoption, reduce administrative workload, and support better risk management.

QUICK FIRE ROUND
Your quiz questions for this week:

What is the standard compressive strength of 4000 PSI concrete after 28 days?

A. 4000 PSI // B. 2500 PSI // C. 6000 PSI

Which system is commonly used for firestopping in commercial buildings?

A. Wet pipe sprinkler // B. Hilti or 3M sealant assemblies // C. Rigid conduit

What’s the primary purpose of a vapor barrier under a slab-on-grade?

A. Prevent structural shifting // B. Block moisture migration from soil // C. Provide insulation

Which type of schedule shows task dependencies and float?

A. Bar chart // B. Gantt chart // C. Critical Path Method (CPM)

What does “Design-Build” delivery method mean?

A. Owner provides full drawings to GC // B. Designer and builder are one entity or team // C. Project is competitively bid after design

Check out the answers at the bottom.

WEEKLY FUNNY
“So back in my day…”

REFLECTION
This week’s question to ask yourself✌️

How would I describe the person I am becoming?

ANSWERS

Q1 A. 4000 PSI // Q2 B. Hilti or 3M sealant assemblies // Q3 B. Block moisture migration from soil // Q4 C. Critical Path Method (CPM)// Q5 B. Designer and builder are one entity or team

How many did you get?